MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav (File Pic)
Patna: Controversial MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav raised many eyebrows on Wednesday by appealing to Maoists to target corrupt politicians instead of attacking paramilitary personnel.
“If the Maoists feel the exploitation of ordinary citizens is rising, they should target the corrupt politicians behind such exploitation,” said Yadav to journalists after paying a visit to the family of slain CRPF jawan Naresh Yadav in Darbhanga.
Naresh Yadav was among the 25 CRPF personnel who were killed in a Maoist attack at Chhattisgarh’s Sukma on April 24.
“I appeal to them (Maoists) that they should not attack and kill paramilitary personnel. They should instead hit the spot where the problem lies,” added Yadav, who is an MP from Madhepura in Bihar.
“It is true that social inequality is on the rise and the needy are not getting justice,” he added.
The MP, who had won the 2015 Lok Sabha polls on an RJD ticket but was expelled in May 2015, gave Rs 50,000 to the widow of Naresh Yadav and said he would bear the entire wedding expenses of his daughter.
After his release from Patna’s Beur Central Jail on April 22, he has been visiting the families of the seven CRPF personnel from Bihar who were killed in the Sukma attack.
Pappu Yadav spent three weeks in jail after being arrested following a violent protest by supporters of his party, Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), in Patna.
The MP’s appeal to the Maoists drew flak from politicians cutting across parties. Bihar education minister and state Congress president Ashok Chaudhary described Yadav’s comments as “highly irresponsible”.
Senior BJP leader Prem Kumar said: “A responsible politician must weigh his words before speaking. Such statements are dangerous for democracy”.
“He is a criminal-turned-politician, and nobody takes him seriously. His remarks reflect his lack of maturity,” said JD (U) state spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar.
Pappu Yadav, who is also the husband of Congress MP Ranjeeta Ranjan of Bihar’s Supaul Lok Sabha constituency, is known for controversial statements.
In December 2016, he said at a public meeting that he had never sung the national anthem and would never do so because it was written in praise of a British king visiting colonised India.
